When growing up, Carlie Barry recalls her grandparents running a sheep and cropping farm. That experience helped instill a passion for farming and agriculture that’s bloomed into Woolvie Jerseys and Milking Gyr, an organic farming venture based in the state of Victoria in Australia, which Barry now oversees.
Taking a break from tending to the Gyr cows, Barry spoke with us about being around cattle all day and the importance of budgeting. We also got some tips on making raw milk ice cream.
Seeding Early Farming Roots
“My grandparents had a sheep and cropping farm, which I guess gave me an insight into agriculture very early on,” recalls Barry when she looks back over the early steps of her farming journey.
“I have always loved animals, and when my parents bought a hobby farm, at the age of 10 I was able to have baby lambs and calves and my horse. I was in heaven.”
Read more: The Jersey breed stands out among dairy cows.
Milking & Budgeting
When it comes to day-to-day farms duties, Barry says that finance-based issues can be some of the most pressing things to stay on top of.
“It’s probably budgeting and making sure there is enough money to pay the large bills and maintenance costs that come with running a dairy farm,” she explains. “Managing staff can be stressful too. Milking cows is the somewhat easy part of running a dairy farm!”
Getting to Know Gyr Cows
Gyr cows make up a central part of Barry’s farm. She characterizes them as “very intelligent” and says “the most surprising thing I have learned from them is that they usually sleep close to the house at night.”
This behavior, she explains, is due to self-protective reasoning. “It goes back to their ancestors in India where there are tigers in the wild, so it makes sense to stick with their human family at night.”
Experimenting With Raw Milk Ice Cream
Last October, Barry posted about attempting to make ice cream with raw milk. It turns out the experiment was a hit and has since become a keeper.
“I continue to make it weekly now,” she says. “I’ve also invested in a proper ice cream maker, which has made my job easy.”
The Joy of Forging Relationships
Looking over her farm and cows, Barry says that the most fulfilling part of the process comes from “building relationships with them, seeing their calves born, caring for them and watching them grow into either breeding stock or yummy steaks!”
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